THE POLYPODIES. 19 
trees, although in the Gulf States it may be found high 
upon the trunk or branches. 
In appearance it is nearly an exact duplicate of the 
common species with the same creeping, scaly rootstock 
and leathery, pinnatifid, or pinnate, fronds. It is, how- 
ever, rather smaller and further distinguished by having 
the stipe and under surface of the blade thickly covered 
with gray, or brownish, peltate scales with darker centres. 
The upper surface may be slightly scaly, though it is 
usually smooth. The sori are of medium size and borne 
near the margins of the pinnules but are seldom notice- 
able owing to the scales by which they are surrounded. 
Usually they are so deeply sunk in the blade as to form 
little bosses on the upper surface. 
Since this species grows in situations where moisture 
is a very uncertain quantity, it has acquired the trick of 
curling up its fronds when drought comes and remaining 
in a comatose condition until the next rain, when they are 
again unrolled and life proceeds as before. During a 
drouth the fronds have been known to uncurl in a heavy 
dew. 
Among its common names are hoary polypody, scaly 
polypody, tree fern and resurrection fern. Tree fern is 
from its habit of growing in the treetops, and resurrection 
fern refers to its habit of revival after a drought. 
This species is found as far north as Virginia, Illinois 
and Missouri but is not common except in the Gulf 
States. According to strict priority, this species should 
have folypodioides for its specific name. This being 
translated would mean, simply, a polypody that is like a 
polypody! J/ucanum is a name far better known to bot- 
aa.sts and is the one generally used. 
